


Kamen Rider: Convergence

by SunshineMoon (CaptainSpace)



Category: Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider (1971), Kamen Rider Kabuto, Kamen Rider Kuuga, Kamen Rider Ryuki
Genre: Crossover, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-10-14 23:36:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10546276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainSpace/pseuds/SunshineMoon
Summary: Retelling Rider from Kuuga through Decade as a single interconnected story! Featuring Showa teamups, enough female Riders to give Toei conniptions, and unique spins on each season. (Not Featuring Super Sentai, sorry.) Will be updated with new tags at the start of each season's arc.





	1. Kuuga

_2000…_

Mika hummed to herself as she skipped down the road—rehearsal today had gone great! She couldn't wait to tell Jean and Ms. Enokida and Mr. Godai and about it—and mom and—

She came to a dead halt, pressing her hands to her head and biting her lip.

Everyone did their best, but there was always going to be a giant dad-shaped hole in her heart. She was sure that #4 guy was trying his hardest, but fatalities were still mounting by the day. Every empty seat in class was painful to look at.

In her daze, she never noticed the gentle rain of golden feathers falling around her, but the heavy footfall from behind was enough to bring her back to her senses, and she turned to see—she wasn't sure what.

At first she thought it was another Unidentified Life Form, come to finish what they started with her family. But from the pictures and news footage she'd seen, they were earthen-hued animalistic monsters; this figure was like a knight of old, resplendent in shining gold armour.

"Natsume Mika…" it rasped, the words grating, metallic. "2013: The second Kuuga. This will not come to pass." It raised a gilded, ornate staff, the needle-sharp lower end aimed at her as she stood stock-still, frozen in terror and confusion. "I will destroy every Rider!" it snarled, thrusting the weapon down—

—only for a second figure to materialise between them in a swirl of white light, another metal man, this one in red with a great horned crest rising from his head. One arm immediately shot up, blocking Mika's would-be assassin's strike. "Far enough, Odin," he said. This one's voice was quiet yet oddly carrying.

"Kabuto…" the golden one replied, failing to stay calm.

"This girl, right?" the man named Kabuto asked, indicating over his shoulder to her with his free hand's thumb. Then with a sudden burst of motion he flung Odin back, standing up straight and raising an index finger towards the sky. "Grandmother said, _Today's world exists to create the world of tomorrow. Live today to create the tomorrow you desire._ " His gesture swung downwards until it was Odin he was pointing at. "I won't let you take tomorrow's Riders!"

Odin fell still for a moment, before making up his mind; a card of some kind was ejected from his belt, which he caught and slotted into his staff, snapping it closed around the card.

" _Time Vent_ ," a synthesised voice declared—and in a shower of golden feathers, Odin was gone.

Kabuto sighed. "This again…I'll follow you wherever you go, you know." He turned back to Mika for a moment, nodding to her. "Grow up strong, okay?" Then his hand dropped to his waist, flipping a switch on the left side of his belt.

Another synth voice: " _HYPER CLOCK UP_ ". Kabuto's body blurred as if with acceleration, then vanished, leaving Mika standing alone, completely dumbstruck.

Even with everything else that was going on, no-one was ever going to believe this.

-

Ichijou kept one hand held back, signalling for the squad behind him to hold. For the thousandth time he checked his rifle. For the thousandth time, it was fine. They finally had ammunition that should really put a dent in these monsters.

Another crash rolled in from afar. Godai's fight with the beetle Grongi had moved out to the nearby forest, leaving the bird one alone in the stadium the police now crouched in, stealthily making their approach. It was fine. It'd be okay. Godai had put himself through the electrocution process again. Last time it had given him his 'golden power'. A second time should be more than enough to win this one.

Godai didn't seem so certain of himself anymore, though. He tried to act as upbeat as always, but Ichijou at least could tell. Not everything is said out loud.

Just then, an enormous pillar of fire erupted from the forest. Ichijou hoped with all his heart that was the Grongi's death. Whatever it was, it was enough to distract the bird Grongi—who seemed to act as some kind of judge for their death-games—drawing its attention, its back completely turned to their hiding spot as it made a new mark on its tally-board.

Ichijou gave the signal to Sakurai's squad, and both leapt out of hiding at once, advancing in staggered formation down the bleachers, opening fire as soon as possible. The judge was caught completely off-guard and staggered forwards, falling to one knee as the Nerve-Breaking rounds dug into his back, shredding his white cloak.

Just as he was starting to take some real damage, though, something swept through the police ranks, swiping Ichijou off his feet. Before turning his attention to spot their new assailant, he chambered another round and snapped off a final shot from where he lay, putting another powered-up bullet straight into the injured Grongi's head. Only partway through its transformation, it slumped to the ground, eyes empty.

That dealt with, Ichijou could turn his attention to their new problem. It didn't take him long to identify. The smell of roses on the battlefield meant only one thing.

"B1," he muttered, picking himself up and glaring at the black-dress-sporting woman standing at the centre of the crowd of dazed police officers.

"I warned him the Linto had progressed," she said of her fallen ally, taking a few steps down. "He should have listened."

 _You won't get away this time…_ His rifle had fallen some ways away, but Enokida had provided pistol rounds as well, and he went for his revolver—only for the rose Grongi to smack it away with a suddenly-extended green tendril, her arm now transformed up to the elbow. Her face hardened and she completed the process, shifting from her human appearance to a monstrosity of plant-like sinew and thorns. She'd never revealed this form before. Clearly, in managing to kill such a high-ranking Grongi and disturb the 'games', the humans had crossed a line.

It was chaos. The orderly firing lines had been broken, shots fired wild, mostly missing. Even those that did hit didn't seem to make a lasting impression. Evidently she was a different class of Grongi from their previous target. Officers were being thrown around like rag-dolls, one or two impaled straight through as her fingers continued to extend and retract, like sentient vines, impossibly strong.

Ichijou dived for his rifle—and just as his fingers closed around it, her foot stamped down on it, splintering the weapon's middle section and breaking it in two. He looked up into her monstrous face, seeing death in the gleaming eyes.

_No, damn it…I'm not done…Yusuke—!_

And then an engine roared, and a white motorbike practically flew in from above, smashing into the Grongi and carrying her all the way down the steps into the main part of the stadium, screeching to a halt and letting her fly on several metres with the built-up momentum before hitting the ground hard.

She rose quickly, not having taken any real harm, growling a string of threats in the guttural Grongi language.

The bike's rider dismounted; given the events of the past year, Ichijou had half-expected to see Godai, but as the stadium's lights illuminated their saviour's face, it became clear that this man was at least a generation older, stern-faced, powerfully-built.

He wore a biker's jacket and scarf, but no helmet. His breath didn't frost in the chilled night air. His stance was statue-like, without the tiniest shiver despite the cold. He hadn't felt such things in a long time. For Hongo Takeshi is a modified human: a cyborg.

'B1' had managed to recover her composure enough to remember to speak a language the humans understood, demanding, "What do you think you're doing? Who are—"

"HAAA!" The mighty _kiai_ that leapt from Hongo's lips as he flung his arms out at his sides, a heavy studded belt materialising over his jacket at the same time, was enough to awe the Grongi and the entire police squadron into silence. He thrust his right arm across his body, then slowly rotated his stance, rumbling "RIDER…" as he turned. Then with startling suddenness he withdrew his right and pumped out his left, now a mirror image of his original stance. "TRANSFORM!" he bellowed, leaping an inhuman height into the air.

The circle on the front of his belt slid open to reveal a rapidly-spinning turbine, which rapidly accelerated, emitting waves of multi-coloured light that washed over him. When the light cleared and he landed, he was clothed in black and green from head to toe, highlighted by gleaming white gloves and boots. His helmet was decked out with large red compound eyes, tiny antennae, and a multi-layered steel jaw. The overall impression, backed up by the pattern of his chestplate, was of some kind of grasshopper man.

B1 was understandably taken aback. "Another new Linto weapon?"

Hongo slowly raised his gaze towards her. "Between Shocker, Badan and the aliens in Shibuya I've been kept busy for a long time…I hoped we could leave things here to this 'Kuuga' I've heard about. But the situation keeps escalating…I can no longer stand by and let you Grongi do as you please!"

 _Grongi…Kuuga…how does he know those names?_ Ichijou wondered. _Who_ —what _is he?_ Although, something about the man's transformed appearance seemed oddly familiar. Like an old story he'd heard as a kid, but couldn't quite remember…or that he'd been told to forget?

-

_"Time to grow up, Kaoru. I'm sorry, but there's no such thing as—"_

-

His eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. It _couldn't_ be.

Hongo leapt to the attack, somersaulting over the rose Grongi's pre-emptive swing. Now facing away from each other, they both swung around, forearms colliding as they swivelled to face each other again, quickly pushing off and backing away.

She lashed out with her tendril-fingers, ten deadly swaying weapons reaching for him—he ducked and cartwheeled through them untouched, dropping and sliding inside her guard before rising with an uppercut to her chin, easily dodging back out of the way of her return blows. The man's martial skill was simply breathtaking.

Despite this, she didn't seem to be slowing down, no matter how many hits he landed. "That doesn't hurt a bit," she taunted. "Don't think you're escaping alive—or them, either." She indicated the police. "You're just an annoyance…you'll tire out soon."

Hongo had reached the same realisation. "Then how about this?" He lunged, knocking her out of her guard with a quick one-two punch, then jumped at her and ran up the front of her muscular frame, kicking off to launch himself into the air above her, turning a full backflip and coming back down with one leg extended.

 _Just like Godai!_ Ichijou realised.

With a yell of "RIDER KICK!", Hongo slammed into the Grongi, a mighty _boom_ emanating from the point of impact; he landed on his feet and skidded backwards as he rebounded, while she was hurled to the ground, rolling away uncontrollably.

The bug-patterned hero sagged a little, breathing hard—this was usually enough to end a fight, but she was still moving. _Did I at least do some damage this time?_

Slowly, she climbed back upright, her inhuman expression inscrutable. Then, she laughed. "Was that all? What are you trying to do with an attack like that?"

 _Damn!_ Before he'd caught his breath, she was upon him again, her attacks coming closer and closer to hitting home each time. Finally, one clipped him and he staggered back a step—she didn't waste the opportunity, and smashed him to the floor with one great fist. The blows rained down one after another, only a few blocked by the desperate guard he threw up in front of his face, scoring gashes and cracks into his costume.

Eventually, he managed to roll away, pushing himself up but swaying heavily as he tried to focus on her. _What is this power…?_

"Get back here," she grunted, flicking her wrist and sending one hand's worth of vines out to ensnare him, slowly dragging him in towards her.

That half-memory was getting stronger in Ichijou's mind. _But…this isn't right…he can't…_ He almost had it, but it slipped away again. But he was certain that was he was seeing wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

Then the floodgates opened, and he stumbled forwards a step, almost involuntarily—on instinct—yelling, _"Don't give up! Rider!"_

At first the other officers just stared at him in bewilderment, but before long they began to have the same creeping thoughts. The same inescapable familiarity. There was something important they'd put aside a long time ago.

"Go for it!"

"You can do it!"

"Rider!"

Hongo's feet dug into the ground, resisting the rose Grongi's pull. "Do you…hear that?" he grunted.

"Inane pleas, you mean?" she teased. "What is 'Rider', anyway? What _are_ you?"

"Hrr…" Body trembling with exertion, he tore one arm free of the tangle of vines. _"Rider Chop!"_ The edge of his hand scythed down blade-like, severing the tendrils and freeing himself completely. He half-collapsed, falling to one knee and putting a hand out to support himself, but stared defiantly up at her. "You know what I hear?

"The children they once were are calling out to me. In each of their hearts is someone who can still believe that a hero will save them. And to protect the dreams and wishes of those children—" He clutched at his cracked chestplate. "—even if it kills me… _that is Kamen Rider!_ "

He surged to his feet, clenching his fists in front of him. " _Cyclone!_ "

Hearing an engine rumble behind her, B1 darted out of the way just in time as the Rider's bike zoomed past her of its own accord. Hongo leapt aboard as it passed him, circling around and aiming for her again, gunning the engine. Again, she dodged, but this time he kept going, hauling the front wheel up as he reached the other side of the stadium and planting it on one of the enormous pillars holding up the roof.

Then, impossibly, the bike began to climb up the vertical pillar, speeding right up to the very top of the stadium, whereupon the Rider leapt off and out into the open air. At his speed, an enormous amount of air blew through the turbine on his belt, spinning it up again. _Spin, Typhoon! Wind, give me power!_

One, two, three somersaults, forcing even more wind through the Typhoon belt, finally letting gravity overtake him and lancing straight down at the Grongi in the same jump-kick position as before. His movements past her, up, across and back down had all been so unexpected it took her until he was inches away to finally track where he was, with no chance to dodge. Power surged from the wildly-spinning Typhoon down into his leg, a flame-red aura of light enveloping his foot. "LIGHTNING RIDER KICK!"

This time, the attack punched straight through her, shearing her body in half, Kamen Rider landing behind her, forcing himself not to pitch over in fatigue. It wasn't until he'd remounted his fallen bike and sped off that the police broke out of their daze, dizzy with emotion—relief, loss, embarrassment, confusion.

One of them was already sprinting for his car, though, pointing it at the woods as fast as humanly possible.

-

"Uh…" Godai slowly emerged from unconsciousness, wiping the bleariness away with each blink. The breathing next to him was familiar. "Mr. Ichi—" He paused, realising where he was; Ichijou's house, private enough that there was no need for the formality. He gave a smile. "Kaoru."

"How are you feeling?"

"I...why am I in your bed?"

"Why wouldn't you be?" Ichijou responded, hoping he'd remembered Godai's words from that day on the roof well enough to echo them.

"Heheh." Godai's smile widened. God, how could he do that? No matter how dark things got, he was always there with a thumbs-up and a goofy smile, an assurance that no matter what, _it would be okay._

He was pretty sure Godai Yusuke was some kind of miracle.

_There's no way I deserve him._

"What happened to that guy?"

Ichijou sat up in bed, resting his back against the wall. "You got him. I guess the second shock worked…"

"Yeah!" Godai sat up too, sounding excited. "I turned into a black-armoured Kuuga! The power was somethin' else...it was only just enough, though."

"Right, you were pretty out of it when we picked you up. But...wasn't there a warning about a black Kuuga in what Miss Sakurako translated?"

"Yeah, but...that was a four-horned Kuuga," Godai said cheerily, miming a pair of little curved horns on his forehead with his fingers. "Back then I still had two horns. So I think it's okay."

"If you say so...I'll get you something to eat." Ichijou hopped out of bed, grabbing and shrugging on his shirt from the bedside table. As soon as he got into the kitchen, though, his phone rang.

"This is Ichijou."

"All units are being called in, effective now!"

"What? What's happening?"

"This one's not like the others—just—get in here! Bring #4, please!"

Whatever the Grongi was like this time, it had to be stopped. He knew that. But couldn't Godai get _one_ day of rest? They put him through so much. But there was no-one else to turn to.

Well...maybe now there was. But the Kamen Rider had left to parts unknown, with no way of contacting him. They couldn't rely on him showing up again. He'd have to tell Godai about _that_ whole incident later.

With a pained look, he turned to walk back into the bedroom and deliver the news. "Yusuke...I'm sorry, but we need—"

The TV was on. Godai stood in the doorway holding the remote, staring in silence at the news. The anchor was terrified, crouching behind a burned-out car as a Grongi stalked down the road, occasionally flexing its arm and conjuring a massive fireball, torching passersby alive with every sweep of its hand. He recognised the silhouette, too, from right back when this all started.

"Yusuke—"

"I'm going." Godai's voice was trembling.

"Right...okay. Just...that's #0. This won't be like any other—just…" Ichijou half-turned away. "Stay safe."

"It'll be okay." Godai sounded like he was desperately trying to believe himself. "It'll be fine."


	2. Kuuga II: Altered

_"What's the matter?"_

Godai gasped as another wave of pain swept over him, rolling back over the wreckage of a phone-booth, hands scrabbling against the ground as he pushed himself to his feet.

_"Come on!"_

With a cry of desperation, Godai wheeled on his ankle, making a half-turn back towards his tormentor; a powerfully-built monster of white and gold, covered in finery like an emperor of old—the being the police called #0. He swung a punch with his spin, but #0 caught it with contemptuous ease, twisting his arm painfully back towards him.

_"Come on! Smile for me, Kuuga! Smile some more!"_

Some kind of spark flew from #0's fingers and a wall of flames smashed into Godai, hurling him back down the street. He hit an abandoned car, crumpling the bonnet and smashing the windshield, rolling off with a weak groan.

He never admitted defeat. Nothing was impossible. But right now...he couldn't think of a way. He could hardly think at all, with the final Grongi's boyish laugh ringing in his ears. He was in his new black-armoured form, stronger than he'd ever been, but against #0 nothing he did had the slightest effect. And every time he was thrown back, every time he let himself stumble and give the beast more time, more people died, their cries barely reaching him before they were snuffed out.

Around him the world was on fire.

He threw himself at #0 again, locking his arms around the monster's waist and hauling him off to the side, causing his latest pyrokinetic arc to fly wide, allowing the targeted family to get out of harm's way. Maybe the first people he'd saved during this entire ordeal.

_"That's cute…"_ #0 brought an elbow down into the side of his head, smacking him to the ground again. One of the Kuuga form's eyes cracked. Godai hadn't even realised that could happen.

"Why…?" he almost sobbed. "Why are you doing this? Any of this?" This was the one that had set up the whole Grongi death-game from the start.

"Why do you think?" For a moment, the Grongi flickered back to his human form, grinning from ear to ear before reverting.

"Because you enjoy it?" Godai's fist pounded into the ground, cracking the road. "What kind of reason is— _uhlk_ " A vicious kick into his ribs turned him flat onto his back again, a sick feeling rising inside him.

"That's the reason you do anything, isn't it?" He began forming another ball of flames between his clawed fingertips. "I thought you'd be more fun. The last Kuuga was stronger…"

"TOH!"

The cry had come from above, but by the time #0 looked to its source, the rooftop it had originated from was empty. When he looked back down, someone, or something, was standing between him and the fallen Kuuga, crimson scarf streaming out behind it in the unnatural storm #0 had called up.

_"What are you supposed to be?"_ he snorted. Some kind of strange Linto fashion? No, wait—he gave a sniff. Is this a man or a machine?

_If this is the Grongi leader, he could be even stronger than the other one I fought…_ Hongo glanced around at the destruction around them. _I can believe that. Has Kuuga really been fighting things like this all year?_

_"Well, whatever."_ #0 closed in, striking down at Hongo with flame-wreathed hands—the Rider spun to face away, blocking each with a raised forearm on either side of his head, the same spin sweeping his leg under the Grongi's and staggering it back a step. Hongo drew back, heading towards Kuuga. Even from that one exchange, his limbs were shaking, his gloves half-blackened from the heat.

_There's no way. With my current power…_ His gaze rested for a moment on a damaged panel at the side of his belt. _Especially without that...I have no chance of winning. Kuuga, however…_ He hefted the fallen warrior over his shoulder, his antennae flashing as he summoned the remote-controlled Cyclone bike to him.

_"Like I'll let you,"_ #0 chuckled, positioning himself between them and the bike.

Hongo took two steps' worth of a running start, then—"RIDER JUMP!"—launched himself into the air a breathtaking distance, far over #0's head, coming back down on top of Cyclone, still carrying Kuuga. He wheeled the bike around, preparing to speed off, turning to deliver a parting message to #0 first.

"Stop this useless violence!" he commanded. "All you want now is to fight Kuuga, isn't it? He _will_ fight you—once I've helped him become a true challenge for you. That'll only happen if you have patience! Let these humans be."

_"Heheh...we'll see."_

"If you want your perfect battle, those are the terms!" Cyclone's engine roared, and they were off.

-

Sakurako squinted as the last pair of symbols lined up. This carving hadn't been neatly-printed like the other Linto writings in the ruins—it had been messily scratched into the floor next to the coffin the original Kuuga had lain dormant in for so long. That made it even harder than usual to translate, but it seemed important. Like a warning of some kind.

Finally, she had it all pieced together. There was the symbol for 'Grongi'. Then 'danger', circled three times for emphasis. Next, 'Leader'.

Then finally, a series of phonetic symbols—a name?

"N...Daguva...Zeba."

-

_I really need to stop passing out…_ Godai shifted—and immediately rolled off the bench he'd been laid on. The smack of the hard ground beneath him jolted him back to full awareness and he remembered what he'd been doing. _#0!_ He sprang to his feet, then faltered, pain shooting through his legs. Just as he was starting to fall, steady hands caught him and sat him back on the bench. "Easy."

"I have to—#0—" His mouth was running faster than his mind. "I couldn't save them—they're all—"

" _Calm down!_ " Whoever it was shook him by the shoulders, and his eyes finally swam into focus, presenting him with the last person he expected to see.

"...Professor?" He blinked, stunned out of his anguish. "Professor Hongo! What are you—" He spotted the bike behind Hongo, and the scorch-marks just visible on his forearms where his sleeves ended, and put two and two together. "Wait, you're...you saved me back there?"

Hongo nodded, patting Godai's shoulder before sitting on the bench next to him. "Relax, Godai. If all goes to plan, that creature will wait a while before acting again. And if not...I'll take responsibility."

"But, what was that form back there?" Godai didn't quite understand, but it seemed like things were taken care of for the moment, so he did his best not to stay downbeat for long. "That was really cool! Do you have an Amadam too?"

Hongo shook his head. "That's the stone gives you your power, I think? No...you and the Grongi aren't the only things in this world beyond conventional understanding." His face twitched in concentration, and the heavy-set Typhoon belt—a stark contrast to the sleek, rounded one Godai used to become Kuuga-formed around his waist. "I was...remodelled, back in '71…" He took on a pained look for the tiniest instant. "This body is as much metal as flesh now."

Godai nodded, trying to look intelligent. "Uh-huh, uh-huh...apparently the Amadam is changing my body, too. The doctors don't really understand it...I hate to say it, but it's kinda scary." He held out his hand. "So, like...I guess we're both 'altered humans', right?"

Hongo shook it, smiling warmly. "Well said."

Godai leaned back, trying to collect his thoughts. There was so much he wanted to ask, so much he wanted to talk about. Here, finally, might be someone who had felt the same things he had, this past year. "I guess this explains why you were never on campus...I bet you've saved a lot of people, right?"

With a heavy sigh, Hongo stood. "After I became this, I could never stay still for long. I've been travelling and fighting for thirty years now...sometimes it feels like no matter what I do, the troubles of the world just won't diminish, but…" He shrugged. "I just can't help myself. That's what life is now—for me, and the other Kamen Riders."

"Kamen...Rider?"

"Like you and me, altered humans who transform to fight for humanity. Comrades of mine. I was the first—Kamen Rider #1."

"That's so cool!" Godai said again, giving a thumbs-up. "Who'd have thought, my university tutor was such an awesome guy…" He grinned awkwardly. "I wish I could say I aspired to be like you, but if I'm honest, it always seemed like we were kinda incompatible…it was my elementary school teacher I really looked up to all this time..."

Hongo chuckled. "No, that's good. You're your own person, Godai Yusuke, and you've grown into a fine man. I'm proud." _And...I'm so, so sorry you had to get involved in something like this. Violence doesn't suit you._

_I wish I could shoulder this burden for you, but…_ He leaned against his bike. "I've only encountered a couple Grongi, but their strength was terrifying. It's clear that if you've been hanging in there this long, your power must greatly exceed mine. Well..."

He tapped a charred, busted panel on the side of his belt. "This is supposed to be a mechanism for temporarily increasing my power, but it's been damaged quite severely. Without it, I definitely can't put a scratch on that Grongi leader. In other words, I can't win this battle for you. But I can help _you_ win."

"What do you mean?"

"When the Riders of the past faced a great crisis, they always trained to overcome it. I think you have the potential to improve a great deal, Godai—hopefully we'll have enough time to achieve that."

"Oh, really?" Godai asked, excitement rising in his voice. "That'd be great! I've done some things kinda like that before," he added. "Learning how to use all Kuuga's forms properly…"

_Different forms? Like Kotaro, then…_ "Well." Hongo stood up straight. "We haven't got much time. Follow me."

"Okay!"

-

"Daguva, huh?"

" _You're gonna stop him, right?_ " the voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Yeah...yeah, of course. It'll be okay! Actually I met someone really cool who's helping me prepare…"

" _Who?_ "

"It's kinda...I'll tell you everything later, okay? Don't have much time."

" _Just...be careful,_ " Sakurako warned. " _This one's killed dozens of other Grongi._ "

_So have I,_ Godai thought.

"Don't worry," he said out loud, hanging up. He gave Hongo a nod. "Thanks for waiting."

"Let's begin." They both transformed without ceremony, squaring off about ten feet apart.

"Oh, but…" Godai pointed at the open flat ground and piles of crumbled rock around them. "How'd you know about this place? Did you used to live here?"

"No, I...sort of…" Hongo seemed a little embarrassed. "A lot of my old battles ended in quarries, for some reason. After a while, I couldn't help memorising their locations."

"Huh...well, anyway. What kind of training were you thinking of?"

"First, take your strongest form."

"Kay…" Godai focused inwards, trying to recapture the feeling from before. Gold detailing began to form around Kuuga's body, sparks jumping between them. This was the golden power he'd been using for a while now-now for the next step. With another effort of will, he dug even deeper into that reserve. Then, an even more striking change—his red armour became black, the highlights standing out even more now. "This is it. So what should I—"

In the time it took him to blink, Hongo was already upon him, forward hand clenched around his neck. He shoved it away, just barely getting his arms up in time to block a second strike. _Fast—!_

"You tapped into new source of energy to access this," Hongo noted, his helmet's compound eyes feeding him energy readouts. "But you're only scratching the surface of it!" He broke away, one leg kicking up after the other, the right knocking Godai's block away and the left pushing off his chest, sliding Godai back a few steps while Hongo guided himself to a landing back near his starting position.

"Yeah, you're right…" Godai admitted. "The ancient writings we're working on translating mentioned something like this...well, it was a four-horned Kuuga, but the colour is the same, so I guess I'm getting close. I don't really want to become that, though. Apparently it's 'the ultimate darkness' and it'll 'dry up the holy spring'."

"Do you have any idea what that means?"

"I think so…" Godai looked away. "I think I almost became that version of Kuuga once." He shivered, recalling the school. The needles. The funerals. The list of names, piling up, with nothing he could do. "I was just so _angry_ —it was all I could feel. It was like...becoming a Grongi, I guess. If I try it and lose control…"

"That may be, but there's no choice," Hongo said firmly. "As we are now, you and I are no match for Daguva. And I don't take him for the patient type. The killings will resume, and soon."

"I can't—"

"What other option is there?"

"We could fight him together?"

"I do plan on being there, but Godai...my attacks just now, they didn't hurt, right?"

Godai shrugged. "I didn't wanna say it but, no. You're really good—I couldn't stop you landing hits—but they didn't really do anything." _Not in this form, anyway. If I'd been the red Kuuga, even with the golden power, I'd have really been in trouble._

"Exactly." Hongo pointed across at him. "And the gap between you and Daguva is even wider! What can you do in that form?" Perhaps, he thought, if Ichimonji had been here to lend his power...but Rider #2 was in Brazil now, hunting for Badan's latest hideaway alongside Amazon.

Godai was silent for a while, his posture slumped, defeated. At last, he raised his head. "...you're right. Hongo, sir, I'm going to try it." He gave a little bow. "If I go out of control...please, work together with the police and find a way to stop me."

Hongo held out a fist. "I swear it."

"All right." Godai closed his eyes, once more focusing inwards. He knew what he sought lay in the same direction as the power he'd tapped to produce his current form, buried much further down. But it was disturbingly easy to reach all that way down—he'd opened this path once before, if only for a moment.

This wasn't like the other forms he'd had to work to unlock and master; this power, and everything else that came with it, was his for the taking. If he wanted it.

Of course he was scared. But—

_I'm not gonna see anyone else cry._

_Even if I have to lose myself...I'm gonna make it so everyone can smile again._

His body gave a shudder, a chill wind sweeping over the quarry. Little tongues of fire began lapping up and down his armoured form, his head and limbs twitching jerkily, all in complete silence—more unnerving than any scream, somehow.

He reached the tipping point. For almost ten seconds, he was engulfed in a dome of roaring flames. What finally staggered out was a different Kuuga altogether. The carapace was still black, but it was bulkier, with swept-back spikes curving off the knees, shoulders and elbows, and far more gold detailing, winding like veins around his body. Four horns sat atop his head.

Hongo took a cautious step forwards. "Godai…?"

"I...I did it…" Godai began, then froze, his voice twisting off into a strangled gasp. "I can't—" His helmet's eyes faded from red to black.

"Godai!" Hongo was running now. "Fight it!" He reached his student, taking him by the shoulders. "I'm here! Godai!"

" _hhhHHGGHhhhk_ —" Another fiery explosion erupted from his body, flinging Hongo to the ground. When they cleared, Godai was back in his human form, sinking to his knees and staring blankly up into the sky.

Hongo, similarly de-transformed, limped over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You had it. For a moment, you had it."

"I don't know," Godai almost whispered. "I'm sorry—I hurt you..."

"I'm all right!" the veteran Rider insisted. "We've still got a little time. You can keep trying."

Just then, Godai's phone rang. "H-Hello?" He didn't speak for almost the entire call, his face growing paler and paler. "I'll be there," he said eventually, hanging up and scrambling for his own bike (he'd had it sent here while they were preparing).

Hongo, seeing things were serious, was already heading towards Cyclone. "What is it?"

"Daguva got tired of waiting, I guess," Godai responded. "It's like before. He's just...walking around, destroying everything he sees. By the time the police catch up he's moved on. They've been working on a radar for detecting Grongi, but to do any good it needs to be mounted on this." He patted his bike—the force's fastest prototype, the BeatChaser 2000. "So I'm gonna go pick it up."

Hongo mounted his own bike, revving the engine. "I might be able to catch up to him on Cyclone, but your method is more reliable. On the off-chance I catch him, I'll try and stall him until you arrive. And Godai!" he added, as the younger man turned his machine to leave. "What will you do when you face him?"

"My best," Godai said, donning his helmet and roaring off back towards the inner city.

-

Godai had thought he'd seen the worst of it. The past year, the things he'd been forced to do, he thought he'd seen the bleakest the world could throw at him. But he'd always held to the thought that it'd been worth it. No matter how bad it got, it was worth it, for that one upside.

Which might've now been torn away right in front of him.

He walked through the wreckage of the police station in an empty daze, feet idly kicking through fragments of burning paper, vaguely acknowledging the words that reached him from the officers swarming around the place.

"—just walked in—"

"—nothing we could do—"

"—weapons completely ineffective—"

"—left carrying Ichijou—"

"—he was alive! They never took prisoners before, why would it—"

"—TryChasers all destroyed—"

Snapping back into focus, Godai grabbed the nearest officer he recognised: Sugita. "Scanner," he said flatly.

"...destroyed," the older policeman said with a resigned look, tensing as Godai's grip on him tightened. This was actually a little terrifying; he'd never seen Godai like this. "But—wait, listen!" He put a hand on the distraught young man's shoulder. "#0 said something...a message for 'Kuuga'. That's you, yeah?"

Godai took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand still long enough to listen.

"He said…'tell him, Mt. Kuro. Hurry.' And..." Sugita's voice began to tremble. "...just...smiled."

Godai was gone before he could say another word.

"Sir!" Sakurai came staggering up to him, managing a salute. "Do we follow?"

Sugita shook his head. "#4 is doing his job. Let's do ours. There's a lot of wounded out there, and rescue teams will be stretched thin after everything #0 did. Get everyone who can walk moving!"

-

Ichijou gasped as he was finally thrown to the ground, landing face-first in the snow and scrambling to his feet. He grabbed his revolver from its holster, shakily levelling it at the smiling, white-suited boy before him. After a moment he sighed and replaced the weapon. He'd seen enough other officers try to know not to bother.

"What is this?" he asked, falling again. _Where did this wind come from?_ Stupid question. Storms had always followed where #0 went.

Daguva lurched a step towards him, lilting laughter carrying over the wind's howl. "See, I think I might've hit Kuuga a little too hard. Might've broken him. Gotta give him something to get him fired up. So he's gonna come for you with fire in him. That'll be fun, right?"

Ichijou just sat there, staring up into the gleeful eyes. This wasn't some sinister mastermind. This was a violent child. With the power to unmake the world.

"I hope I chose right," Daguva mused, half to Ichijou and half to himself. "I just happened to notice someone who didn't have the same smell as Kuuga—so not family—but was just covered in his smell. Was expecting his woman—got you instead. I learn something about the Linto every day..."

His eyes gleamed. "So let's sit tight 'till he gets here, 'kay?"

-

Two wheels screamed down the highway, bike and rider making a direct line for the centre of the growing snowstorm.

_Please don't die, Kaoru._

_If you're gone, I might just become that ultimate darkness._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked it up and apparently Mount Kuro is like...on the other side of Japan from Tokyo, but given the BeatChaser 2000's ridiculous top speed a quick bit of division showed it could make the trip in like three hours. (And hell, the Cyclone is a good bit faster even.)
> 
> Alternatively it's possible I'm completely wrong about where everything is, in which case it's a good thing I'm leaving timeframes vague.
> 
> Anyway, the Kuuga arc concludes next chapter.


	3. Kuuga III: Yusuke

Ichijou had just been focusing on keeping warm for a while, using the physical hardship to push fear and doubt out of his mind. He was not an optimist. Things like belief and trust didn't come easy to him. But there was one man who'd broken through all his defences, who he'd believe in to the end.

Godai would come. And this time, he would win. This Ichijou knew for certain.

Footsteps crunched towards him over the snow. Daguva's blissful expression appeared through the howling blizzard. "Hello, friend."

Ichijou shot him, just out of spite.

Daguva giggled as the bullet bounced uselessly off him. "I understand."

"What?"

"You're running out of patience with me." He grinned from ear to ear. "I'm getting impatient too. And I'm starting to wonder. What'll get the biggest rise outta Kuuga? Fighting to rescue you, or fighting to avenge you?"

"Hold on…" Ichijou started taking slow steps back, Daguva matching his pace and staying right in front of him.

His skin warped and ruptured, his Grongi form bursting forth, claws reaching for Ichijou's face. " _It's not often I only get one human to play with. I wonder how far I can get your blood to spread._ "

The hardened police officer was completely frozen up. Again, death stared him in the face. Again, he could only think of how much more he had to do.

Then a long metal bolt speared through the air, knocking Daguva's hand away.

He gave a long, contented hiss, swinging around towards the source of the attack. " _Lucky you._ "

A gleaming spot of colour appeared through the blizzard, rapidly getting closer. Kuuga, in his green 'archer' form, infused with his golden power, crossbow-like weapon levelled across the BeatChaser's handlebars. He kept firing as the bike roared nearer, implacable tires devouring the tough terrain, Daguva strolling forwards and smacking the bolts out of the air.

The distance between them shrank to nothing in moments—at the last second, Godai pulled further on his reserves, tossing away his weapon as it reverted to the revolver he'd converted it from, armour shifting from green to black.

The distance closed, and they met at the centre of the storm, Kuuga's punch glancing off Daguva's chest while the Grongi's sweeping arm caught Godai by the neck, wrenching him off his bike and flipping him onto his back, the vehicle careening off into the snow.

Godai didn't have time to recover, dragged up off the ground just in time to have another powerful blow slammed into his body, Daguva's grip on him never relaxing.

"I won't…let you…" he slurred.

" _Come on, Kuuga. Come on, little hero. You've got more than that, right?_ " Finally, he tossed Godai away, landing him next to Ichijou. " _Bring out the real Kuuga. I know you can feel it waiting. Let it out._ "

"Godai…?" Ichijou crouched by him, concern etched into his face, helping him sit up. "What's he talking about?"

"I can't…" Godai mumbled. "That power, I can't…" He looked up. "I'm so glad I got here in time. You're alive." The relief was palpable.

"Alive…not safe." Ichijou frowned. "No-one is, with him around. Do you understand, Godai?" _I'm ordering him to fight again…_ He dropped the stern expression. "I'm sorry…that it had to be you, going through all this, hurting, hurting others…"

Godai shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'm glad it was me. Because…no matter what else happened, or happens now…because I got to meet you."

Before he could say any more, he saw Daguva's hand flick out, wreathed in magical flame—

—and jumped to his feet, throwing himself in front of Ichijou and in the attack's path, yelling in pain as he hit the ground, Kuuga's form vanishing and leaving a half-conscious human lying gasping in the snow.

" _Godai!_ " Ichijou ran to him, shaking him by the shoulders. "Godai! Stay with me!"

"…sorry…I couldn't do it…" he was saying, his voice thin.

" _I'm disappointed,_ " Daguva said, still advancing towards them, taking his time. " _You were supposed to give me some fun at last. But you're boring. You_ have _the power but you won't_ use _it!_ " The flames returned. " _I guess if we're done here…_ "

"I'm sorry," Godai said again, holding tight to Ichijou and closing his eyes.

Metallic footsteps thundered across the snowy field.

 _My best won't even knock him off-balance…but…if I could use_ that…

Kamen Rider #1 gave another glance down at the busted panel on his belt as he ran.

_It's had some time to heal…it might be good for one use…even if just for a moment…_

_Have to count on it!_

"DAGUVA!" His booming voice carried through the biting wind as he emerged through the snow, his full figure following his glowing compound eyes into visibility.

" _You again?_ " Dagua hissed. " _I'm busy—_ "

Hongo popped open the cracked panel, flipping the switch. " _Rider Power!_ " Jagged arcs of light leapt out from his belt, flowing up his body and along his limbs. He flinched as the damaged mechanism caused him pain, but kept running, transitioning into a flying leap at Daguva.

Daguva snarled, half-turning to face him. " _When will you learn your Linto machines can't—_ "

"RIDER PUNCH!" Hongo collided with the Grongi leader fist-first, all his might channelled into the single point of the blow, Daguva skidding back uncontrollably twenty feet or more, doubled over.

Then Hongo cried out, falling to one knee as the damaged circuit backfired, a trickle of blood leaking through the Typhoon's fan where the machinery met his body. "That's all…I can do…Godai!"

Ichijou helped Godai stand, but the younger man still looked shaken. "I don't…think I can do it…the dark down there, it's too much…"

"I believe in you!" Hongo declared. "I have no choice. But you—you do. You must use that power…and you can choose what you will become." He put a hand to his chest. "You can become the ultimate darkness…or Kamen Rider Kuuga."

"Can you do this?" Ichijou asked.

 _Kamen Rider…_ Godai finally pulled off a smile, clasping his hand. "It's for everyone's smiles, right?"

Hongo nodded approvingly. _That's a wonderful thing._

"Then, Mr. Ichijou…one more time, please watch me…" Godai summoned the Amadam belt, thrusting one arm out in front of him and slowly drawing it across his body. " _Transform!_ " The extended hand quickly moved down to meet the other by the side of the belt, something within clicking into place on contact, initialising the change.

This time he was tapping straight into Kuuga's ultimate power. Golden lines trickled out of the belt, tracing intricate patterns in the air around Godai's body; eventually the spiked, horned, towering black figure formed within this framework. So far, his eyes remained red.

"Godai…?" Ichijou asked, hesitating.

Kuuga looked back. Nodded. Gave a thumbs-up. Strode off to face Daguva.

-

With a wave of his hand, Godai calmed the storm. The wind died down, Kuuga and Daguva's approach to each other made in dead silence.

They pointed at each other in unison, the gestures bringing forth waves of flame, washing over their armoured bodies without effect, melting the snow around their feet.

The walk became a run, became a sprint. They moved fast enough to extinguish the flames with sheer momentum, covering the hundred metres between them in barely two seconds.

They collided, and this time stayed deadlocked. Punches, parries, counters struck back and forth like lightning. Either could've split a mountain in two, instead focusing all that terrifying strength into an object as tiny as a person's body.

Metal, and unnatural pseudo-flesh, cracked. Blood was spilled, seeping through their armour and staining the white carpet surrounding them.

 _That's it!_ Daguva was loving it. Finally, the Kuuga he'd been waiting to fight all this time. Something that could really get his blood pumping. And the longer they fought, the more likely the Linto would give in to it—in that case, even if Daguva died, the glorious death-games could continue.

Godai was just hurting. He'd been hurting for a year, and all he wanted was to finish it.

Their knee strikes glanced off and slid along each other, each smashing into the other's belt. Their images flickered, then they were back in their human forms. But neither could afford to let up. They were getting exhausted, just laying uncoordinated punches into each other's faces, stumbling through snowdrifts and spraying ever more red over its pristine white surface. Every time he got hit, Daguva just laughed. Godai was pretty sure he was crying. It wouldn't end.

Then one of Godai's punches just _rebounded_ off Daguva. A little light was emanating from his belt, and his form began to change again. " _Guess mine's…in better shape._ "

This was true: In their first fight back in the city, the Amadam had taken a few hard knocks, along with every other part of him. That must've been why Daguva was able to transform again quicker.

Daguva grasped him around the ribs, giggling with delight as his hands began to heat up, preparing to burn Godai alive.

He was expecting his life to flash before his eyes. But all he could see in his mind's eyes was what he'd seen when he first got here. Daguva threatening Ichijou's life. Seconds away from snuffing it out.

_And no-one…_

"No-one…" he murmured.

Daguva paused. " _What's that? Speak up._ "

"…can _ever_ …" Godai growled, clouds of black smoke billowing out from the Amadam and spreading out over his body. He put his hands around Daguva's forearms, his face suddenly a mask of fury.

His words disappeared into a savage howl, and the smoke erupted into flame, throwing Daguva back. Barely a second later, the four-horned, ultimate Kuuga charged out of the fire, eyes black, still screaming in rage.

Daguva struck first, landing a solid straight right to Kuuga's face, but it didn't seem to register; he just twisted his head back into position, smacking Daguva's attacking arm aside and jamming one of his elbow-spikes into the Grongi's stomach, blood gushing from the wound.

Daguva gasped, staggering back, pain and ecstasy wracking his body. " _Who's…smiling…now?_ " he cackled, as Kuuga stepped implacably forwards, raising his burning fist.

-

Hongo was too weakened to move much yet, so Ichijou eventually had to forge out in search of Godai himself. The storm had started up again, and visibility was as low as ever. He stumbled along, calling Godai's name until his voice grew hoarse, fear rising higher and higher in his mind the more blood he trudged through. "Godai…please…"

Then he saw it.

A white-clad boy lay unmoving on the ground, horrendous gashes and burns covering his whole body. He looked so small and frail in death.

Kuuga stood over him, arms hanging by his side, shoulders heaving, giving off a constant low growl. Caked with blood, Daguva's and his own. Entire body humming with dark power. Monstrous.

Ichijou slowed his approach, stepping in front of Kuuga with care. "Godai? It's me." The warrior didn't respond, reaching out a hand as if to crush him.

Ichijou took it gently, pushing it back down and leaning in to embrace Godai. "Idiot."

"Kh—!" Kuuga flinched at the contact, fighting the urge to violence.

"You're always working so hard…always saying you'll protect everyone's smile…" Ichijou buried his head in the chest's carapace, suddenly yelling, " _What about your smile, idiot?!_ "

"Ah—aaa…aaah…" The growl transitioned into an anguished wail. The fire flickering between his fingers vanished. Kuuga's eyes faded from black to red. "Kao…ru…"

"Yusuke. Come back to us."

When he raised his head, Kuuga's form itself had faded away, leaving only the human, Godai Yusuke. In his arms. His face inches away.

"You brought me back," Godai said quietly.

"Don't forget it," Ichijou joked, before leaning into him. The first kiss they'd dared outdoors, while the storm finally died around them, sharing the passion of victory and the joy of living on.

Hongo, now visibility had returned, saw them and smiled. _Good to see that youth isn't wasted on the young…_ After a moment, he turned away to give them privacy, making his way back over to the fallen bikes. Behind him, Godai and Ichijou didn't move from that spot for a long time, letting all the stress and terror of the past year drain away and thinking only of the wonder of that moment.

-

"Godai!"

"Where have you been?"

"You disappeared right when—"

"All the storms—"

"#0 killed so many people, we thought—"

"—but the news says #4 stopped him!"

Still standing in the doorway of the café he'd practically grown up in, Godai nodded to everyone, giving a reassuring thumbs-up all round.

"Uh…guys." It was okay now. It was over. He moved his hands towards his waist, preparing to summon the Amadam belt. "There's something I should tell you."

-

"There's something I should tell you," Ichijou said after giving his final mission report of the #0 case, and indeed the Unidentified Life-Forms case as a whole. He took a deep breath. "It's about that rumour about me."

All chatter immediately stopped, everyone's ears pricking up.

"It's true," he said without batting an eye. Before the whispers could start up again, he pressed on. "His name is Yusuke. We've been together for a year. There will be no further questions. Thank you." He gave a quick bow to his co-workers and left the room.

-

"You really beat all those monsters?" Mika asked, wide-eyed.

"Sure!" Godai said with a grin, before scratching his head and admitting, "Well, the police helped a lot. And this awesome guy called Kamen Rider, too!"

"Kamen Rider?"

"Ooh, lemme tell you about him!"

Hongo watched them continue past him on the other side of the street, smiling gently as they laughed and cheered. _Perhaps he isn't a Rider after all._

_Something happier, maybe._

-

"What do you mean?" asked Godai when Hongo brought this up; the older man was heading towards his bike, parked outside the café.

The Rider sighed. "It's a lonely life, Godai. I can't ask you to just leave everything behind and devote your life to fighting. You're not suited to violence anyway. Look…don't worry. The rest of us will manage. And I'll tell them all of how much you've done for us." He gave Godai's signature thumbs-up gesture. "You don't have to hurt anymore."

Godai returned the gesture, but shook his head. "I know I can't leave forever. There are people I care about. That I love. Everyone would miss me. But hey, I go on adventures all the time. Sometimes I'm gone for ages." He brought his fist forward and tapped it against Hongo's. "You never know where I might turn up. So if something happens, please call me. I'd hate not knowing."

Hongo nodded. "I suppose I was wrong. You're…a new kind of Rider, after all."

Godai looked overly pleased with himself, puffing out his chest. "Yup, yup, that's me. Millennium special edition."

"We'll meet again, then." Hongo mounted the Cyclone and pulled on his helmet. "Be seeing you." With a final wave, he sped off to parts unknown.

Godai's smile fell a little. "Stay safe," he said to the clearing fumes. _Thank you for everything._

_-_

_Come on and follow me to a future without sadness._

-

"They're making you take a vacation, Mr. Ichijou?"

"Yeah, a long one. Paid, even. They said I've done the work of a lifetime recently."

"Doesn't sound like you to accept it."

"I took a lot of convincing."

-

_The only thing in my pocket is the smile on your face._

-

"You said you were going to leave on another adventure when the Grongi were all gone, right?"

"Yeah…well…"

"Well?"

"Since you're free for a while and all…we could go together?"

-

_I will become the blue sky._

 

**Kuuga Chapter: End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The Agito arc, which I recently completed over on FFnet, is somewhat longer than this arc and in a few ways continues directly on from it; I'll upload it here soon.)


End file.
